The York Nomad Society or YNS are a supporters group and hooligan firm

Football hooliganism

Football hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...

 associated with York City Football Club

York City F.C.

York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...

 who play in the Conference National

Conference National

Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...

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Background

The YNS was formed in 1981 as an alternative travel to away matches for City supporters. The coaches the YNS put on were cheaper and allowed breaks at pubs for drinking.
Since the nineties however, the YNS has become a hooligan group as well as just a supporters group.

In the Hooligans A-Z book, the YNS were described as being more akin to an Italian ultras

Ultras

Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...

 group than a traditional English football 'firm', due to the fundraising carried out by the group. It was also claimed that, in one way or another, around 1,000 people have been 'members' of the YNS since its formation.

Former YNS member Terry Exelby was the first English fan to be arrested at the 1986 World Cup

1986 FIFA World Cup

The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...

 after drunkenly climbing into the luggage racks of a plane. When the plane landed in Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 he was arrested by the FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...

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Fundraising

The YNS are avid York City fans, and like other York supporters groups, they raise funds for the club.

Currently the group make a regular donation each season by way of paying the club to have an advertisement board on the half way line in front of the Pop Stand.

Hooligan firm

In March 2002 two York City fans were arrested on suspicion of assault following clashes at an away match against Cheltenham Town

Cheltenham Town F.C.

Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...

. In February 2003, seven people were arrested (four from Bury and three from York) following clashes at a home match against Bury

Bury F.C.

Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...

. Between 30 and 40 fans clashed in York with missiles thrown and the police dog unit finally restoring order.

In October 2006 York fans clashed with Oxford United

Oxford United F.C.

Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...

 fans in Oxford when over 100 fans from both teams fought near the Blackbird pub. The clash was described by the Oxford Times

The Oxford Times

The Oxford Times is a weekly newspaper, published each Thursday in Oxford, England. It is published from a large production facility at Osney Mead, west Oxford, and is owned by Newsquest, the UK subsidiary of US-based Gannett Company....

as being a pre-arranged conflict. Three York City fans were arrested after a window was broken at the Priory pub after the match.